Category Archives: News

Women of Distinction Nominations Close Soon

Community e-Brief Features Featured News Comments
RGV HCC Board of Directors

The Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will be closing nominations for its Women of Distinction Awards on Jan. 16. Nominations categories include: STEM and digital innovation, environmental and agricultural achievement, emerging leader, media and journalism, community and social leadership, justice and legal advocacy, educational innovation, healthcare champion, diversity and inclusion, and financial leadership. The awards will be presented on March 5 at the 2026 Hats Off to Women…

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BCIC Starts eBridge Business Academy Jan. 13

Business Advice Community e-Brief Features News Comments
eBridge Business Academy

The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation will launch a cohort of its eBridge Business Academy, a rebrand of its Blueprint Business Program, on Jan. 13. The business fundamentals course for entrepreneurs and early-stage small business owners will run through Feb. 24 and will be taught in Spanish. With more than 350 graduates to date, the program helps participants strengthen core business skills and apply practical tools to improve how they plan,…

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RGV LEAD Launches S3 Entrepreneurship Challenge

Community e-Brief Features News Comments
RGV LEAD

RGV LEAD, in partnership with Career Bridge, officially launches its S3 Entrepreneurship Challenge on Jan. 14. The regional initiative focuses on providing continued support, engagement and real-world entrepreneurial learning opportunities for students across the Rio Grande Valley. The S3 Entrepreneurship Challenge Kickoff and Informational Session will take place virtually via Zoom from 8-10 a.m. This session will introduce participating school districts, students, educators and community stakeholders to the program framework,…

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RGV Muralist Creates ‘Epic’ Art

Arts Featured News Comments
Leo Rivera’s murals of cowboy and Western culture reflects the heritage and history of Mercedes.

Leo Rivera left the Rio Grande Valley to get his art training and education at a Denver-area design school. It was in Colorado where the Harlingen native did his first large-scale wall mural. Rivera was active in the Denver arts scene for 11 years after graduating from the Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. Returning home in 2020, Rivera set off to work as what he calls an “artist…

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Boutique Offers Goods Rooted In History

News Retail Comments
Leather goods made in the United States and Mexico are branded with the H.Yturria Ranch name in highlighting ranching elements found in South Texas.

The front gates of the Yturria ranches along U.S. Highway 77 represent a contiguous network of brush lands with a history that dates back to the pre-Civil War era.   The patriarch of the Yturria ranchlands is Francisco Yturria, a close business associate of Charles Stillman and who would become known as Richard King’s banker. The former is considered one of Brownsville’s founders and the latter became a rancher of legendary…

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Businessman Led Life of Service & Faith

Arts Community News Comments
Despite his successful business ventures and his commitment to the Presbyterian Church, family came first for Bill and Marion Wilson.

The McAllen Wind Ensemble website reads that the group was established in 1973 by local music supporters and “sparked by Bill Wilson’s inspiration from plaza bands in Mexico.”  But who is Bill Wilson? Bill Wilson was not a musician who wanted to start his own band. He was a man who saw a need and fulfilled it without fanfare. He was an Oklahoma native and led his high school band…

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Inaugural Football Season Unites RGV

Community Education News Comments

The head football coach of a brand-new college football team had a blank slate as his UTRGV Vaqueros kicked off their football season in late August 2025. Travis Bush had been through this before as an assistant coach when UT-San Antonio launched its first football season in 2011. Now Bush was the head man of a new football venture further south in Edinburg. “Coming in there weren’t too many expectations,”…

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Female Students ‘Picking Up The Torch’

Education Manufacturing/Industrial News Comments
Some industry reports estimate the percentage of female welders has doubled over the last 15 years. (Courtesy)

The welding industry is a growing field as it experiences a strong demand that is driven by big infrastructure projects and increasing manufacturing needs. Retirements in an aging workforce are creating a need for younger replacements as one industry estimate says there are over 82,000 jobs to be filled annually in the field. It remains a male-dominated industry but some shifts are being seen. The percentage of women welders has…

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‘Circle Of Life’ Leads To Return Home

News Professional Services Comments
Despite early doubts, Steven Aguilar has followed in his father’s and grandfather’s footsteps in running a pest control services business.

There were three things that Steven Aguilar was sure of when he graduated from Donna High School in 2014. One, he was going to college out of the area. Aguilar was also certain that he would never return to the Rio Grande Valley to live permanently nor go into the family business of pest control services. The Texas A&M graduate was ultimately but happily proven wrong on all counts. In…

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MFE Team Honored by United Airlines

e-Brief Features News Transportation & Travel Comments
McAllen International Airport opened in the mid-1990s and its growth in passenger traffic has led to a study looking at facility expansion. (Courtesy)

United Airlines has awarded AGI, the ground handling team operating at McAllen International Airport, with its Gold Safety Excellence Award, recognizing AGI’s outstanding commitment to safety in all aspects of its airport operations. “Safety is universal, and safety culture is something that’s hard to build and easy to lose,” said Marlon Suarez Garcia, senior manager-Line Stations Safety and Regulatory Compliance for United Airlines. “Safety culture is a feeling — and…

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